Sea anemones can distinguish good bacteria from bad without antibodies
Scientists have discovered that sea anemones are capable of telling beneficial bacteria apart from harmful ones, despite lacking antibodies. Specialized cell structures within the anemone engulf and eliminate foreign bacteria while leaving helpful microbes unharmed. Researchers used gene editing techniques to identify a key gene that regulates this selective recognition process. The findings challenge previously held beliefs about how immune systems evolved in early animals. Scientists say these primitive immune pathways could shed light on ancient immune memory and how immunity is passed from mother to offspring.
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